Abu Helal & Tiger Canyon

Located just south of the famous Canyon site in Dahab, Abu Helal—also known as Ras Abu Helal or “LittleCanyon”—is one of the Red Sea’s most underrated shore dives.

Requiring high tide and calm conditions to endive Abu Helal, this is a much less-visited site. Pristine corals await the divers who are lucky enough to experience ideal diving conditions, with visibility said to reach 30 – 40 metres.

Entering from the shore, divers encounter a shallow lagoon at about 7 – 12 metres with compact reefs on either side. Descending gently while heading out to the reef, with the reef on your left-handside, you will enter what is thought to be one of Dahab’s most beautiful coral gardens, with vibrant hard and soft corals dominating the shallow zone.

As you continue, the reef slopes down into deeper waters. Technical divers will need to navigate over the reef for about 12 minutes until they find the opening of Abu Helal canyon at about 45 metres. The Canyon winds parallel to the shore at depths ranging from 45 to 60 meters plus, offering an almost cave-like feeling with numerous swim-throughs.

This area features chambers and vertical drops that require proper training, gas planning, and equipment—typically explored using trimix. It’s a serious dive environment, but one that adds significant appeal for technical divers visiting Dahab.

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